Thursday, June 30, 2016

Celta Thursday: Heart Thief Chapter 3, Version 3, Captain's Log:

I'm continuing with the Captain's Log from Heart Thief, the secondary story that I'd planned on telling before every chapter. That didn't work out. The story itself ended up being Heart and Sword in the collection: Hearts and Swords.

LOG: STARSHIP NUADA'S SWORD, CAPTAIN MATTHEW BOUDREAU, AWAKE INTERVAL, DAY 3, 1100 HOURS
As I fumble to understand a world strange to me, I must maintain a perfect facade of the all-knowing, all-powerful, completely capable Awakened Captain. Yet I get side-long looks from the generational crew, words of obedience but glances of wariness, suspicion, even hatred.
They judge me.
As I judge them, and the situation.
I must function as a leader. I cannot express any doubts, risk any sort of human error. The lives of those still sleeping in the suspended-animation tubes, human and animal, all the heritage of Earth, as well as the lives of all those now staffing these three starships are in my hands. Failure is not an option.
My orders are slow to be carried out. I've surprised muttering clumps of men who immediately disperse. Suspicious system breakdowns are common.
Mutiny may be imminent.
And I must stop it.
Somehow.